Penrith have lost their international second-rower for an extra game.
The Panthers have lost second-rower Scott Sorensen for an extra game after he was unsuccessful at the NRL judiciary on Tuesday night. Sorensen will now miss three games instead of two after the Panthers failed in their attempt to get a grade-two shoulder charge changed to a grade-one.
A grade-one charge would have changed a two-game ban to a $1000 fine, but because he was unsuccessful he’ll now miss three games instead. It means the last-placed Panthers will be without the Kiwi international for games against the Broncos, Cowboys and Knights.
Speaking on Sunday, NRL legend Andrew Johns called on league officials to publicly explain what players in Sorensen’s situation are supposed to do. Sorensen was trying to tackle Manly forward Nathan Brown from a kick-off return, and made contact to the head with his shoulder.
Brown didn’t require a head injury assessment (HIA) and remained on the field. Johns pointed out that Sorensen risked injuring himself if he tried to tackle low, and couldn’t extend his arms to wrap around Brown due to the close proximity of teammates.
They want players to defend low, but if Scott Sorensen goes low on Nathan Brown he’s gonna knock himself out as cold as a spud,” Johns said on the Footy Show. “If he wraps his arms, he will dislocate his shoulder – he has to brace and get himself into space. I have no idea what the NRL want this tackle to be and they have to come out tomorrow and explain what tackle they want in this situation.”
Scott Sorensen disappointed after suspension increased
Not only did the NRL ignore Johns’ call for an explanation, they’ve now slugged Sorensen with an extra game on the sidelines. As Johns pointed out, players in the past have suffered arm and shoulder injuries while trying to make tackles on kick-offs because they usually involve teammates crowding their space.
If a player gets his arm caught between a teammate and the ball-carrier, they’ll often suffer dislocations or fractures. The ban for Sorensen will fuel the push for kick-offs to be eradicated, as they pose a clear risk for both the attacker and defenders.
“It’s disappointing. I completely understand the process and what’s happened,” Sorensen told AAP on Tuesday night. “Our club here at Penrith, I appreciate their support through it all and, as I say, it’s disappointing but that’s the way it goes.”
Penrith will have to defy history if they want to make the finals, with no team this century recovering from last place after eight rounds to make the top-eight. The absence of Sorensen is another headache for Penrith coach Cleary, with the four-time defending premiers winning just two out of eight games so far.
“I have complete faith in our team and our squad, who are excited and ready to prepare for a big game on Sunday,” Sorensen said. “Unfortunately I won’t be there, but I’ll be doing everything I can to make sure they are prepared and ready to go.”
